Imperfect Perfection
by jkazzie
Summary: What if not all vampires were supernaturally perfect? If a human is supposed to bring many of their human traits into their vampire existences, then could the magic that creates a vampire cause that vampire to stay true to themselves. Or is there another magic at work on Bella. This is the story of Bella Swan Cullen an imperfectly perfect vampire. Cannon couples, E
1. Awakening

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. Stephenie Meyer is the author and owner of the Twilight Saga. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

…

A/N: This will be a multi-chapter short story – meaning probably not more than about 25,000 words in total, give or take a thousand and each chapter will be from a different POV. It's a plot bunny that's been bouncing around my head for awhile now. I always thought that if a human was supposed to bring many of their human traits into their vampire existences, then Vampires might not always be quite so perfect.

It's slightly AU, but with canon couples and picks up at the start of Breaking Dawn part 2. I have tweaked a few things to suit the story, but they're not huge changes. I'm not sure at this point whether the story will include the Volturi battle or even Jacob for that matter, since I've always found the whole 'man (and Jacob is a man, make no mistake) imprinting on a newborn baby' thing, a bit eeww … and, to be honest, I've not thought that far ahead in the plot.

More in the AN at the end of the chapter … including Wrecked with Bella chapter progress. The story is alive and well I assure you.

…

Chapter 1 – Awakening (Edward's POV)

Alice stared off into the distance, her large golden eyes seemingly sightless. I knew better, since everything she was seeing, I was watching with her.

Bella was about to wake up … and then there was nothing. Everything faded to darkness. No matter how Alice tried, she could not see Bella's future past her awakening in …

"Is there any change?" interrupted Carlisle.

He'd been monitoring Bella's progress from a medical perspective, whilst Alice had been monitoring her progress from an intuitive one. Both had been attentive, determined to ensure that our newest vampire family member would rise unscathed.

Alice sighed and blinked, her pupils contracting rapidly. "Not about her future – that's still a complete mystery – but she will wake up in," Alice glanced at her diamond encrusted wristwatch, a recent anniversary gift from Jasper, "sixty-three seconds."

A moment later, we collectively heard Bella's heartbeat increase to a rate that was impossible for any human or animal to sustain without rupturing the life-giving organ. It was the ultimate sign that the transformation was nearing its finale, as the venom raced to that single spot in her once frail human body.

My entire family turned as one to stare into the room that had been the site of Bella's last human moments – where she gave birth to our beautiful daughter, and then died in my arms. My own crystalline heart lurched in my chest – the anticipation of keeping my wife for eternity fading away for the second time in three days as I feared what lay in our future if Alice couldn't see Bella. I turned to Rose, agony and joy written across my face – I could see it reflected in my family's minds.

"Rose, take Renesmee upstairs, please. It's safer for her if she's not in the immediate vicinity when Bella first wakes up," I said tersely.

She nodded and picked up the insulated bottle warmer holding two baby bottles, from where it sat on the kitchen island counter – one containing O negative blood and the other, baby formula, both heated to a perfect 98.6 degrees – the temperature of human blood. Cradling my daughter in her arms, she walked upstairs to the family room. Emmett turned to follow his wife and niece, but I stopped him.

"Emmett?" My voice quavered uncharacteristically.

He turned around. "Yeah?"

"I might need you. Please stay," I begged, my voice barely a whisper.

He nodded and we all walked at human speed into the office/den that had become a makeshift hospital room during Bella's pregnancy. My brothers stationed themselves nearest to the two exits – not that they could stop her if Bella decided to leave. She was a newborn vampire, her body strong beyond any comprehension, especially whilst her own blood filled every cell of her newly perfect body. If she wanted to – and I hoped she didn't – Bella could cast us all aside like annoying insects and burst through the walls to the outside world wreaking havoc on an unsuspecting Forks.

I heard the mind-voices of the wolves as they surrounded the house. They had staged themselves around the property to head Bella off, should she escape our control. As much as Jacob loved Bella, as one of the Alpha's of the two Quileute packs, he would do what was necessary to stop Bella from embarking on a blood lust rampage. I told the arrogant little prick, that his _help_ wasn't necessary, but he and Sam ignored all of Carlisle's, Jasper's and my efforts to dissuade them. They might have agreed to Bella becoming a Vampire to save her life, but they wouldn't stand back and let her take a human life – not in Forks.

I sighed and tried to block out their whining voices, especially those of Paul and Embry who hated us and would kill everyone of us if Sam and Jacob didn't keep them in line. The only one of the wolves who loved Bella unconditionally was Seth Clearwater. He would do anything for Bella, even more so than Jacob. So much for Jacob's frequent and insistent assertions that he loved Bella more than his own life, because I knew that if push came to shove, he'd rip her head from her newborn vampire body and drop a match on her, then have the audacity to mourn at her funeral.

I growled low in my chest, my fists clenching until I almost crushed my own fingers. I hate that giant dog _so_ much! The sooner we left Forks forever, the better I would like it. If I never saw Jacob Black again it would be too soon for my liking.

"Edward?" Carlisle said softly. He stared into my tortured, angry eyes with compassion, his hand resting lightly on my shoulder. "Come on, son. Bella is your priority now. You leave the wolves to me."

I nodded and forced myself to relax, as I walked into the space where my wife lay motionless on a gurney in the middle of the room. She was garbed in a dark blue, sleeveless dress that came just to her knees. I read in Alice's mind that it was Dior from their latest Fall line – not that I cared and I knew Bella wouldn't care, or even notice. I sensed, rather than heard, my father and mother move to stand beside me, since my entire attention was now focussed on my love.

Alice positioned herself off to the side, halfway between Bella and Jasper. "Any moment now," she murmured.

Moving closer to the bed, I took her hand in mine, gently stroking the slender finger adorned with her wedding rings. Her skin sparkled under the sun lighting up the room. We were the same temperature now – all disparity in our body warmth irrelevant, now that we were the same species. She was stunning – the most gorgeous creature I'd ever lain eyes on. I'd always believed her to be beautiful, but she never did quite believe me, always asking me what I saw in her when I was so beautiful and could have any woman I wanted – a woman like Tanya.

I _never_ wanted Tanya. I only _ever_ wanted Bella. I waited a century for this woman to enter my life – and now I needed her to feel whole. She was the sweet air I breathed, the sun that warmed my skin, and the cool moon that sheltered me in her arms during the night. She and our daughter were my entire life. Without them, either one, I was nothing – a mere shell existing only to nurture the one precious soul that remained and they did have souls – of that I was absolutely certain. I feared the future Alice could not predict. I didn't know how I would protect my family from those that would seek to destroy or covet them – these two precious beings that made my continued existence worth living.

'_Calm down, Edward!' my brother Jasper thought at me harshly. 'You're neutralizing the mood I'm projecting toward Bella. We want her to remain composed while the baby is in the house and the wolves are surrounding the house.'_

I looked up to stare into the taut visage my brother wore as he drew on every ounce of his talent. He'd always said I was the only person he'd ever known who could infect a room with pessimism just by standing in it. Irritation flashed across his face as I struggled to bring my emotions under control in the few seconds remaining.

"For fucks sake, Edward!" growled Jasper with exasperation. He glared at me. "If you can't control your emotions, then let go of Bella's hand. Everything I'm sending her is being absorbed by your moody ass."

I gulped, reluctantly releasing her hand, and stepped back from the bed. Immediately, Jasper's face relaxed as he refocused his attention on my wife, leaving me to stew in my own torment. My parents stepped forward to comfort me instead. Esme's arm snaked around my waist to hug me close to her side, whilst Carlisle's hand clamped reassuringly on my shoulder.

"She's going to be fine, Edward," Carlisle whispered insistently near my ear. "Look at her, son. The venom worked its magic. You got her heart started again and the venom did the rest. She's perfect," he reassured me for the nth time since her journey had begun three days earlier.

"Five seconds," predicted Alice. "Three, two, one …"

We all trained our attention on the woman on the bed, breaths held as her heart thumped its final beat leaving a heavy silence in the room. We all waited. I watched her incredibly long lashes flutter and her nostrils flare as she breathed in the air in the room. Her lips curved upward into a smile as she apparently decided all was well in her new world.

Bella's eyes opened and she sat up so quickly, her movement stirred the air into a light breeze. She smelled of strawberries, freesias, maple syrup and freshly brewed coffee. She was divine and she was all mine. Bella scooted to the end of the bed arriving in less time than the worlds finest atomic clocks could gauge.

Bella watched us intently as we gaped at her.

My lips parted and I blinked rapidly in astonishment.

Alice was the first to gasp, followed immediately by Esme's shocked intake of breath. The both edged closer to the bed.

Jasper and Emmett inched toward the middle of the room, trying to block the sun streaming into the room, in case it was a trick of the light.

I don't think it was. My heart soared as I quickly calculated the possibilities for us, for Bella, if this anomaly was genuine and didn't alter. What else about Bella might be different to the norm?

Carlisle stepped closer to his daughter-in-law, curiosity written across his face – he was the least shocked of all of us. He'd been a vampire for nearly 400 years and had seen many wondrous things. After Renesmee, he believed almost anything was possible – including Bella's seemingly impossible appearance.

What we were seeing was impossible, yet the evidence before us refuted everything we knew to be true. I turned toward my father, pointing toward Bella. "Is that even possible?" I whispered. "Have you ever seen that happen before?"

Carlisle inclined his head. "It seems it is possible, Edward. Bella is unique, as is your daughter." I heard in his mind that he'd never seen or heard of it happening before, but he was already cataloguing his books so he could research the phenomena.

"Edward?" Bella's sweet, bell-like voice rang out. I walked slowly toward her, a smile splitting my face. I took her outstretched hands in mine. "Hello, my wife."

"Hello, my husband," she almost sang. Her beautiful eyes stared worriedly into mine. "What's wrong with me, Edward? Why are you all staring at me – did it not work properly?"

I shook my head and chuckled. "Absolutely _nothing_ is wrong, Bella – you're perfect." I leaned down and kissed her luscious red lips, tasting the essence of coffee in her mouth. She was simply amazing.

Bella's newborn eyes weren't red.

They were golden.

…

Human body temperature: 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit = 36.7 degrees Celsius.

AN: The past 3 months have been crazy. My mother moved to Sydney and I had to take care of everything for her except most of the packing. Work has been extremely busy, especially since I am now on long service leave for 2 months, and I'd been working like crazy to get everything finished in time – I didn't succeed and that worries me, since I'll now have to go back to it in 2 months time.

I **am** working on a Wrecked chapter for those of you who follow Wrecked with Bella. I will be taking my laptop to the USA, but I won't promise to deliver a chapter in the next three weeks while I'm away, since we have a busy travel schedule. Unfortunately, due to lack of money, Hawaii is off the agenda **sigh** but we're still going to NYC and LA. I know I promised some of you a Wrecked chapter over Easter, but it just didn't happen. Some of you know that I have ongoing health issues that can make me very tired – this coupled with everything else that has been going on in my life has meant that I've not had the energy for anything that wasn't absolutely necessary, including writing – I haven't even done my housework or packed yet and I'm leaving for the US tomorrow.


	2. There's something about Bella

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. Stephenie Meyer is the author and owner of the Twilight Saga. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

…

AN: So, I wrote this chapter on the plane from Sydney to LA. I was rather tired, so I hope its okay. I've been in NYC for two days now (not counting the entire day it took to travel here from LA) and my feet are killing me due to all the walking. If any of my readers live in Manhattan, I was one of those ubiquitous tourists that ride around in the red tourist buses snapping photos of famous landmarks. We did the downtown tour yesterday; the 9/11 Memorial; had lunch at Katz's Deli (the restaurant in the famous scene from 'When Harry Met Sally', you know the one – the Reuben sandwich was divine; and rode the Staten Island ferry so we could get a look at the famous lady herself – The Statue of Liberty. I finished off the day with a very large slice of NY Cheesecake from the Carnegie Deli – yum!

Today we walked through Central Park entering near Columbus Circle, walking via the Dairy, Literary Walk and Strawberry fields. CP is the most beautiful city park I've ever seen – We have a great park in Sydney called Centennial Park, but it's nothing like Central Park. After CP, we joined the uptown tour (another red tourist bus) driving through the upper West side, Harlem and across to the upper East side, driving down 5th Avenue where I disembarked at the Plaza Hotel. We then strolled down 5th Avenue and went to the Apple store, Tiffany's (bought a key ring – it was one of the few things within my budget), went to Magnolia Bakery (from Sex in the City) and bought a maple-pecan Whoopee cookie filled with cream cheese frosting; did a little more browsing and shopping – bought a new handbag at the Fossil shop and caught a cab back to the hotel before my feet fell off my ankles on their own.

I'm going to have some dinner and then if my feet feel up to it, I'm going to walk down Broadway and enjoy the lights and ambiance. To all New Yorkers, everyone we've spoken to has been very helpful and welcoming, so thanks. Btw: if there are any readers from NYC, do you know any great places to eat that are reasonably priced? I'm partial to Italian food, or a great steak would be welcome, but I'll pretty much eat anything. I figure, if I eat where the locals eat, the food will be fabulous. I'm staying on 57th Street between 9th and 10th Avenue if that helps you to make a recommendation.

Enough rambling, thanks for reading.

Unbeta'd – as is, so apologies for any errors.

…

Chapter 2 – There's something about Bella (Carlisle's POV)

"Bella, how do you feel? I asked tentatively. I moved cautiously toward her, not wanting to startle her, and held a penlight aloft to examine her eyes. The pupils dilated and contracted as would be expected in an otherwise healthy person – even a vampire, especially a vampire, since we relied so much on our senses when stalking our prey. Bella's irises were indeed golden, and not the blood red we expected of a newborn.

"I feel fine, Carlisle, better than fine. In fact, I feel fantastic," Bella elaborated cheerfully.

There was no sign of the expected newborn temper or lack of control. Whether the credit for that lay with Jasper, Bella or both remained to be seen; however Jasper _was_ still zapping Bella with calming vibes as he circled her slowly. On his third round, both Bella and Edward began to feel uneasy, despite Jasper's efforts.

"Jasper?" I murmured. He looked toward me and I shook my head, indicating that he should cease his aggravating movement.

"My apologies," Jazz said in a conciliatory tone. He moved to stand behind Alice so he would appear less threatening to the younger couple, but he continued to watch Bella closely.

"Why are you all staring at me?" Bella demanded again. An ever-so-slight hint of irritation had crept into her voice. "What's going on?"

"We don't mean to stare, Bella," Edward said, his own voice edged in nervousness. "Bella, it's your eyes."

She frowned. "What about them. They're red – I expected that."

Edward slowly shook his head. "No, they're not."

"I don't understand," she said uncertainly.

I decided to step in before Bella's mood deteriorated and we had an uncontrollable newborn on our hands, playing right into the hands of the wolves pacing around my house. A flicker of irritation licked at my own nerves as I peered into the waning daylight. My vampire eyes easily picked out Jacob Black's russet fur about one hundred yards from the house where he stood guard.

Though I was a pacifist by nature, I'd developed a real dislike for Jacob Black in recent times. His and Billy's constant interference in my family's private affairs had endangered all of us on more than one occasion. They acted and spoke recklessly when it came to my family's right to live in Forks under the terms of the treaty, and they jeopardized Bella and Charlie's safety, all because _they_ didn't agree with her right to chose. The wolf packs had been a tremendous help to us when we fought Victoria's newborn army, and there is no doubt that we would have suffered tragic losses to our number had we not joined forces to protect Bella and Forks, but outside of that, I thought that both Blacks were self-important hotheads that needed taking down a peg or two.

Neither of them was anything like their ancestor Ephraim. Now there had been a wise and cautious man who considered all sides of an argument before acting or making a decision – He was the last Chief of any worth as far as I was concerned. The current Blacks had, apparently, been tarred with the stupid gene and were prone to rushing into situations without considering how ill-advised their interference was, or what the consequences might be. Every day, I thanked god for Sam's intervention as first Alpha to keep the peace between the Cullens and the Quileutes for another generation.

I stepped forward resolutely, but spoke quietly so the wolves wouldn't overhear – I needed to be sure about what we were dealing with. "Bella, your eyes _are_ golden, not red. It is an anomaly I've never seen before. It may be a gift to disguise your true nature, or it may just be a one in a million abnormality."

"Alice?" called Edward desperately. "Can you see Bella's future yet?"

"Yes," she sighed with relief, "but it's fuzzy. I don't know if it's because the wolves are close by, or because there's something about Bella that's interfering with the visions. Maybe her ability to shield herself from Edward's mind as a human has strengthened to include my psychic visions about her," Alice mused under her breath.

I silently called Edward's name, and considered a few tests I wanted to conduct to determine whether Bella's eye color was permanent. Hopefully Alice would see the outcome clearly. Edward nodded his agreement, and tightened his hands around Bella's slender, trembling fingers comfortingly.

"Bella, Carlisle wants to run some simple tests on you." She bit her lip worriedly, a human habit that I thought she would maintain unconsciously for the rest of her existence. "He wants you to make a decision," said Edward. "I know it's not something you would ever do, but we need to see if your eyes will react if you decided to consume human blood."

She swallowed nervously, a look of distaste on her face, which was surprising, given her instincts should be screaming at her to hunt, kill and drain the nearest human prey – Edward needed to take her hunting for a herd of deer or elk shortly – her throat must feel like an inferno as her thirst grew.

Bella looked between me and her husband. "O-okay. I assume you want me to 'decide' to drink a human?"

Edward nodded. "Yes." A few seconds passed. "Did you decide?"

"Yes."

"Alice?" he asked.

"Give me a moment, Edward, I can't get a good look at her face." Alice looked again, and scowled when she still couldn't properly see her face – Bella's hair was obstructing the view. "Bella, decide again to drain a human, then hold your head up and look straight ahead as though you're facing a camera – just think of me as the camera. Oh, and decide to tie your hair back before you go hunting."

Bella looked confused by Alice's last instruction, but nevertheless, shrugged and did as she directed. Seconds later, we had our answer.

"Her eyes were still golden, even after draining a human," Edward announced.

Carlisle nodded cautiously. "Okay, Bella, I want you to decide not to hunt for weeks. I want to see if your eyes will darken as the hunger for blood grows stronger."

Edward followed Alice's vision with her, giving us a running commentary as it played out. This time, Bella kept her hair tied back when she made her decision, and she always looked into the lens of the imaginary camera that was Alice's second sight.

"There's no change – her eyes remained golden," Alice said happily.

I remained optimistically cautious – I was fairly certain Bella's golden eyes were a trait that was unique to her, but I had her make some more feeding decisions, just to confirm my theory. As the gamut of tests came to end, Bella had decided to: kill and drain a human; to drink donor blood; to hunt and drain animals and to not hunt for weeks or months at a time. In all of Alice's visions, Bella's eye color didn't change color – I believed her golden eyes were permanent and I said as much to the vampires gathered in the room.

Esme smiled. "This is wonderful news, Bella. You'll have one less vampire trait to disguise. It will make it so much easier for you to maintain the mantle of humanity."

"Yeah, but I, um, kinda still feel human in some ways," Bella said.

"What do you mean, Bella?" I asked, collecting her medical chart from the desk in the corner. I wanted to make some detailed notes, not that I would be likely to forget anything, but still, it was a habit of a lifetime.

"Well, my skin feels kinda itchy in places, and I almost want to sneeze because of all the dust in the room. Ahm, sorry, Esme," Bella squeaked. She felt guilty for implying that my wife's housekeeping skills were less than complete.

Esme smiled in her motherly fashion, not the least bit offended. "It's okay, Bella. Dust occurs naturally in the air. Unless we want to live in a sterile vacuum, there is always going to be dust, no matter how often I clean." Bella smiled back gratefully, whilst Edward struggled to get his head around the notion that Bella was actually itchy.

"Where is the irritation, Bella?" I asked. She pointed to multiple places on her extremities, her neck and chest. When I looked closely, the areas were slightly inflamed as though she was experiencing an allergic reaction, which just _was not_ possible. Each of the places she pointed to was the site of a bite mark from Edward, except for the chest area over the sternum, which was where massive quantities of venom was injected into her body. The chest was the point on her body that was the most inflamed, all but one area on her left breast where Edward told me that Remy had bitten Bella after the birth. Hmm.

"Edward, see if your venom will heal the irritation," I said to him. He licked his finger and rubbed it gently over a pink area on her arm. We waited a few seconds, but nothing happened. "Does it feel any different, Bella?" She shook her head. "Okay, I want you to take a warm shower and wash your skin thoroughly. We'll see if that makes a difference, and then you need to hunt – doctors orders."

She shook her head. "In a moment, Carlisle. There is something more important I need to do first. Edward, I _want_ to see our daughter - right now. Where is she?"

"Um, Bella, I really think you need to hunt first. Renesmee has a heart beat, and blood flows through her veins."

"Yes, I know, I can hear her. The beat sounds wonderful," she said dreamily.

Every single vampire in the room stiffened in alarm. Jasper moved quickly around Bella to guard the door. She noted his heightened alertness with wary eyes, but made no move to get off the bed or to escape the room.

"Darlin', it's too dangerous," cooed Jasper, flooding Bella with feelings of satiety to counteract any thirst she might be feeling.

Bella shook off Jazz's efforts. "I'm fine, Jasper. I've waited three days to see my daughter. If I was going to go all Rambo on your ass, it would have happened when Carlisle ran his tests. Thinking about drinking all of that blood should have whetted my appetite, but I don't feel any different than I did when I woke up."

I noticed Edward's face brighten. Bella's reasoning was sound, however, I didn't want to take any chances with the baby – I thought she should feed beforehand. Jasper and Emmett concurred, because they both shook their heads at Edward, who now looked undecided about what to do.

"Don't take any notice of them, Edward!" Bella screeched, hopping off the bed.

To my surprise, though I shouldn't have been, she wobbled precariously when her stiletto shod feet touched the bare wood floor. Alice blinked – she'd obviously not foreseen Bella's continuing lack of grace. As a shopaholic extraordinaire, she'd been counting on Bella's vampirism to resolve her inherent clumsiness – we all had.

Bella righted herself by clutching at Edward's forearms and holding completely still. "Remy is _my_ daughter and I insist on seeing her before I do anything else!"

_Remy? That was a lovely appellation for Renesmee. I wonder why Bella just didn't name her Remy in the first place. Remy Cullen. It had a nice ring to it. _Edward obviously agreed, because he nodded and smiled.

"Edward!" Bella yelled, out of patience. She stamped her foot in frustration, the steel shank of the six inch Louboutin stiletto plunging through the floor where it lodged tightly between the closely spaced floorboards.

Bella growled. "What the _hell_ are these torture devices on my feet, Alice Cullen!?"

"Ahm … erm ..." Alice was lost for words, unable to reconcile to the fact that Bella had been reborn as clumsy as she was before.

Bella pointed to the lethal weapons strapped to her feet and ankles. "Weren't those four inch swan shoes you made me wear at my wedding torture enough? Are you _trying_ to kill me? Is it not enough, I'm wearing a dress, Alice?" she asked, clutching hold of the skirt. "What's _wrong_ with flat shoes for Gods sake!? I. WANT. MY. CONVERSE!" she wailed.

Bella stamped her other foot, losing her balance when the heel of the remaining shoe plunged through the floor. She swayed like the pendulum in a clock – swaying first to one side … and then to the other and then back again, her own momentum causing her to pick up speed.

"More like the erratic ringer in a bell," Edward commented in an undertone, standing behind Bella to catch her shoulders and hold her still, just as she added a backwards and forwards motion to the side-to-side movement.

"Thanks," she murmured to her husband, "and I heard that."

Rose came running into the room, with Renesmee – _Remy,_ clutched in her arms. She skidded to a halt in front of a now stationary Bella, and stared at her feet flat to the floor. "I didn't know Louboutin made flat shoes?"

"They don't," caroled Esme and Alice.

"What are you doing in here with Renesmee, Rose?" Edward yelled. "I asked you to keep her upstairs."

Rose shrugged. "She wants to see her mother – insisted on it rather forcefully, actually."

Bella's eyes lit up and she reached out toward _Remy_. "My baby! Oh, she's _so_ beautiful. She looks just like you, Edward." Bella reached out with tentative hands and gently stroked the blush-pink cheeks of her child.

"She is so very beautiful, Bella, and _I_ think she looks like you, except for the hair – that's all me," Edward admitted, laughing. He held Bella's body tightly against his chest, his arms around her waist, as he nuzzled the scent of her hair from behind.

Bella giggled in response turning her face up toward Edward. "Does she have your temper, as well?"

If Edward could have blushed, I believe he would have been bright red at that moment. Instead he scowled in response to the snorts made by his brothers. "Ahem. Not yet," Edward admitted sheepishly.

"Come closer, Rose, I want to hold her," Bella said, gesturing eagerly.

Rose cocked a brow. "Don't you think you should make your escape from the floor first?" Nevertheless, she stepped closer so that the baby could touch her mother's face with her palm. A whole gamut of expressions crossed Bella's face – joy, wonder, yearning, tenderness, anxiousness … love.

"What was _that_?" she whispered.

"It's how she communicates," Edward explained. "It seems to be combination of our two gifts – my telepathy, and your ability to shield."

Bella's eyes widened. "You mean, you still can't hear my mind, Edward?"

He shook his head. "Yes – you're just as silent to me now as you've always been."

Bella began yanking her feet up frantically, eager to escape the floorboards. "Can someone help me out of here, please? I don't want to tear up the floor."

"I'll help ya, little sis," offered Emmett. He'd been strangely quiet this past forty minutes. He knelt down by her feet to consider the dilemma. Bella stared raptly at Remy who was giggling, displaying her full set of teeth below large, chocolate brown eyes. "On the count of three, Edward, I want you to pull up, and Bella I want you to push on the balls of your feet. Ready?" They nodded.

"One, two, three, pull."

Bella tore clear of the floor to a chorus of screeching, tearing wood (some damage was to be expected). My sons set her on her feet, she took one step forward, and promptly fell over, landing in a heap on the floor. Seven vampires and one vampire-human hybrid baby stared at Bella in stunned amazement. Before Edward could react and race to his mate's rescue, she sat up and rubbed along her right ankle, wincing visibly.

"Um, ow!"

I raised a brow. "That hurt you, Bella?" She sniffled and nodded raggedly. "You should be able to withstand the force of a thousand times more energy than that before reacting with pain."

"Carlisle, it really hurts," she whimpered, rounding on Edward from her spot on the floor. "This _isn't _supposed to happen, Edward! I'm supposed to be perfect – you promised!" I knelt down to examine her ankle, smirking at the floor while Edward stumbled over his words. '_Welcome to the club, son. When your mate is upset, everything is your fault, even when it's not. Just learn to apologize now, and save yourself a lot of angst and anxiety.'_

"Erm … I'm not sure … um, I'm sorry … Edward stumbled over his words, trailing off awkwardly, unsure what to say. This too, had never been seen before. All vampires were graceful and agile. A clumsy vampire was unheard of, not to mention a sitting duck for enemies or traitorous frenemies.

"More like imperfect," quipped Emmett. He held out his hand to Jasper. "Hand it over," he ordered triumphantly. He rubbed his hands together, while Jasper obediently pulled his money clip from his back pocket, and peeled off ten $1,000 bills, counting them into Emmett's hand."

Emmett grinned and kissed the money he'd just won, shoving it into his pocket. "Thanks, Bella-boo," he crowed.

Edward growled menacingly, obviously not aware of the wager since he'd been so distracted lately, what with his wife's dangerous pregnancy, the deadly birth and subsequent transformation.

I interrupted, before Edward rumbled Emmett out of the house, breaking yet another expensive window and shredding the siding.

"Edward, put Bella on the bed, will you? I'm pretty sure her ankle's broken."

…


	3. Blood, venom and water

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. Stephenie Meyer is the author and owner of the Twilight Saga. The original characters and plot of this story are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

…

A/N: This is unbeta'd. All errors are mine.

_Where we left off: Bella woke up from the change with golden eyes, and not the red eyes expected of a newborn vampire. Carlisle tests her eye color using Alice's gift of future sight and theorizes that Bella's eyes are one of her gifts when there is no change to the iris even after Bella 'decides' to hunt and drink a human. Then, Bella complains of itchy skin. At each of Edward's bite marks and at the venom injection site in her chest, the vampire skin is pink and inflamed. Carlisle asks Edward to soothe the skin with his venom, but it makes no difference. Carlisle is baffled by the anomaly and he orders Bella to shower hoping the water will remove whatever the irritant is. Following an unexpectedly clumsy display by Bella as she tries to walk in 6 inch heeled shoes, the family want her to hunt before meeting Renesmee for the first time since she has a heartbeat. _

_Bella refuses and stamps her foot in frustration, going through the timber floor with the lethal heel of her shoe. Rosalie arrives with Renesmee (whom Bella has nicknamed Remy (pronounced: Rem-me)) and experiences her daughters gift first hand. Wanting to spend more time with Remy, Bella tries to free herself unsuccessfully and begs for some help. Edward and Emmett rescue her and Bella moves forward eagerly to hold her daughter who is still being held by Rosalie. She trips and falls over, sprawling on the floor, moaning in pain. Carlisle diagnoses a broken ankle, leaving the family of vampires flummoxed as to what could possibly being going on._

…

Chapter 3 – Blood, venom and water **(****Esme's POV)**

We all crowded around the bed while Carlisle gently palpated Bella's swelling ankle and set up an X-ray, though he warned us, it may not penetrate Bella's vampire flesh. Edward held her hand, murmuring soothing nonsense in her ear interspersed with his agonized whimpers. His expression was distorted by the torture of his own imagination, while Carlisle took a series of X-rays. I was certain he blamed himself for what he considered a botched turning – of his beloved wife, no less. I sighed inwardly and shook my head. My son always _did_ carry the weight of the world on his shoulders.

'_Edward, it's _not_ your fault," I said silently. _He grimaced and shook his head curtly, denying himself the relief my words offered. _'Edward, please be brave. If you show fear, then you'll worry Bella. Let your father treat her and run some more tests. Bella always _was_ special, even as a human. Perhaps that specialness has simply been enhanced by the change.' I suggested gently, hopefully._

Edward swallowed and met my eyes with hope shining from them. I nodded encouragingly. _'It _is_ possible, Edward.' _He nodded and forced his features to relax.

"Bella, do you feel alright now?" Edward asked. "Um, apart from the ankle, that is," he qualified. His voice was more confident, but I could still hear the underlying dread in his tone. He was my son after all – I knew him better than he knew himself.

Bella grimaced as she dragged herself into a more comfortable position on the exam bed. "Yes," she groaned. "It just hurts, that's all. It's not the first time I've had a broken ankle and it won't be the last, it seems," she grumbled resignedly. She looked up at him. "What went wrong, Edward?"

The tortured expression was back on his face within seconds. I groaned inwardly at the ill-timed question, not that Bella ever intended it to be interpreted as one of blame. He moved to stand in front of Bella, cupping her face in his hands. I saw his thumbs stroke gently over her high, sculpted cheekbones. Some parts of Bella's change may not have gone to plan, but her enhanced beauty was 100 percent successful. She was glorious and rivaled Rosalie in her exquisiteness.

My eyes fell on my equally beautiful blond daughter holding my granddaughter in her arms. I hoped that Rosalie could share the limelight, since my instincts told me that Bella would attract almost as much male attention as Rose. I noted Edward's scowl of annoyance from the corner of my eye and I couldn't help snickering silently. He shot me a look of betrayal before refocusing his attention on Bella and I covered my mouth so I wouldn't laugh out loud. I caught Jasper's eyes from across the room. He was grinning widely, reveling in my enjoyment at Edward's expense. He strolled towards me.

"What were you thinking that got Edward all riled up? It's not like you to tease," he murmured.

I grinned. "That Bella's beauty would attract all sorts of unwanted attention," I admitted.

His eyes sparkled in return. "Ah, yes. She is quite beautiful, isn't she? It's a shame about the lack of grace," he said, his tone laced with annoyance. He glared at Emmett who was playing with Remy in Rose's arms. She was laughing with delight at the antics of her boyish uncle.

I giggled. "What were the terms of the wager?" I asked curiously. My two most outgoing sons were always betting on something or other.

"That Bella would be the clumsiest vampire alive," he sighed. "I said no way – it wasn't possible. Emmett said anything was possible when it came to Bella. We bet $10,000," he admitted sulkily."

I frowned as something occurred to me. "Did Alice not see this outcome? I know she had trouble seeing Bella during the pregnancy, but her vision of Bella as a graceful, perfect vampire was always so clear."

Jasper shook his head. "She says no. Throughout the pregnancy, her vision of Bella's future never wavered. Something must have happened to change it, but what was it?" he mumbled. His forehead creased as his brain ran through thousands of theories, all to no avail.

"Edward, will you come over here, please?" called Carlisle. He was standing in front of a light board looking at Bella's X-rays. I could see the outline of bone and flesh on the films, though they were somewhat blurry.

"I'll be right back," Edward promised Bella. He kissed her on the forehead and hurried over to his father. We all edged closer in curiosity. Carlisle was pointing at the pictures as he explained to Edward.

"You see here, that's the break – it's clean and I'll be able to set it without a problem. There doesn't seem to be any damage to the surrounding tissue or nerves, but do you see this?" he said pointing out a dark patch near the jutting bone.

Edward nodded, frowning as he peered closely at the X-ray. "What is that?" he asked, perplexed.

Carlisle almost looked excited. "I think it's venom," he said. "It seems to be trying to repair the damage, but its inhibited by the break in the bone. I think if I set the ankle, the venom will work and she'll be as good as new."

Edward looked at his father, aghast. "You _think!_ Carlisle, I need you to be sure. Bella is _not_ a lab-rat!" he yelled shrilly.

Carlisle's face twisted in offence, and Emmett and Jasper rolled their eyes at Edwards typically over anxious response. Even I felt a twinge of irritation at Edward. It's not like any of us had experience with an anomaly such as Bella. It was as much guess work for Carlisle as it was for the rest of us.

"Edward, calm down!" ordered Bella from the exam table. He relaxed his clenched hands and turned to Bella with an imploring expression. "Carlisle is doing the best he can, Edward. It's not his fault I'm a freak of nature," she said, disgruntled.

"Thank you, Bella," said Carlisle gratefully.

Edward hung his head in shame. "I'm sorry, Dad," he said sincerely. He clutched at his hair with both hands. "I'm just … I just …"

Carlisle clapped a hand over Edward's shoulder. "I know, son, but I need you to calm down and think rationally. Yes, there are some differences about Bella, but she's alive – or undead – and that's the main thing. We'll work the rest out over time, the same way we will with Remy …" He trailed off distractedly. "Remy," he breathed. "I wonder …"

Edward frowned. "Wonder what?" he asked. "What about Remy?" he demanded, trying to penetrate his father's mind. He scowled in frustration and I assumed Carlisle blocked him instantly.

"In a minute, Edward," Carlisle answered dismissively. "First, I want to set Bella's ankle and then I want to conduct a full medical exam on Bella _and_ Remy before I discuss any more theories." He walked around the bed to stand in front of Bella, taking her foot gently into his hands.

"Can I eat first?" Bella asked. "I'm ravenous," she said, followed by a loud rumble. Edward and Jasper stiffened, prepared to restrain Bella if she looked likely to attack Remy or take off for parts unknown in search of a meal.

"Hey, hey, Bella!" boomed Emmett, as he walked over with Rose and Remy. "That's quite the growl you've got there," he said jovially.

He gave the impression of being unconcerned by Bella's declaration of hunger, but he was ready to pounce and hold her back if he needed to. He was probably the only one of us apart from Jasper who could successfully restrain a newborn vampire using his gift of strength. Then again, if Bella broke her ankle just walking across the floor, she might not be as strong as we expected. Edward nodded in agreement, reading my thoughts. He visibly relaxed.

"Stand down," he murmured to his brothers in his quiet vampire speech. "Broken ankle, remember," he clarified in response to their confused expressions.

"Oh, yeah," mumbled Emmett. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants. I saw his thumb stroking the wad of cash he won from his brother, a dreamy expression glazing his eyes as he thought about how he might spend it. I didn't need to be telepathic, to know how my boys think.

Bella frowned, seemingly unaware of the brief conversation that just took place between Edward and his brothers. Did she not hear what was said? "I didn't growl," she refuted Emmett's proclamation. Another loud rumble emanated from the general direction of Bella. Remy giggled and reached out with her arm towards her mother, pointing at her stomach. She babbled away, resting her other hand against Rose's cheek, showing her something. Rose's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Are you sure, Renes-um Remy?" she asked the little girl sweetly. Remy babbled and bobbed her body, giggling and pointing at Bella again.

"What! What does she say?" demanded Edward tersely. In his panic, he'd forgotten to use his telepathy to listen to his daughters thoughts. I felt like he was working on his last nerve. He was certainly getting on mine. Rose glared at him.

'_Calm down, Edward, or, I'll send you out of the room!' I threatened him silently. _He started to scowl at me before he remembered just _who_ I was. He relaxed his features hurriedly, nodding his head that he understood. Rose addressed Carlisle, snubbing Edward entirely. Her propensity for spite knew no bounds where her emo brother was concerned - they loved each other, but they couldn't stand each other, either. Their bitching gave me a headache.

"Remy says that Bella's stomach is rumbling because she's hungry," Rose related.

"How is that possible?" demanded Edward. "A vampires body doesn't make noise," he spat at Rose.

She growled at her brother, not intimidated in the slightest. "Well _hers_ does, Edward," she said, gesturing toward Bella. "You heard it just as we did and Remy said it was her stomach." Rose viewed Remy proudly, as though she was an Oracle of the ancient world.

I felt Jasper throwing calming vibes into the room. It took some effort on his part given the volatile emotions saturating the atmosphere, but he successfully deflected the tension and I saw Edward begin to calm down. Rose relaxed, as well, but she stubbornly maintained her expression of spite, sneering at Edward.

Alice reanimated from one of her visions. "Rose and Remy are right," she said. "I don't know why or how, but Bella's stomach is growling with hunger."

"We need to get her a meal," Jasper reminded us. His face took on a serious mien as he recalled his past role as a trainer and killer of newborns when he worked for Maria. He was our resident expert on newborn behavior.

"How are we going to get past the wolves?" Emmett asked. "Are we gonna fight them?" he said gleefully, cracking his knuckles. "I'm so hungry, _I'd_ even eat a wolf," he remarked, jabbing his thumb toward the yard where the pack still lingered. A howl of anger pierced the quiet of the compound.

"That's enough, Emmett, we have enough problems with the wolves, without you riling them up with thoughtless comments," Carlisle reprimanded.

Emmett would have blushed with chagrin if he still was able to. "Yeah, sorry," he said in the direction of the wolves, knowing they'd hear him – then he had to ruin it. "I'm not _that_ hungry – yet," he added, implying that he might still settle for eating one of them if he were starving. I rolled my eyes at the backhanded apology.

My husband exhaled a long-suffering sigh of exasperation in Emmett's direction. "I don't want Bella leaving the house right now, so you'll have to bring her meal here," he decreed. "Take Jasper with you and impress upon Sam how important it is that we hunt for Bella." The boys nodded and Emmett cracked his knuckles again. Carlisle pointed his finger sternly in his direction. "No trouble, Emmett, do you understand me!?" Carlisle warned, singling him out. "The treaty with the pack is on thin ice as it is. If we're to have any chance of renewing it, then we need to be at our most conciliatory."

"Aw, Dad," Emmett whined. "I wasn't going to do anything – I was joking," he said, referring to his tasteless crack about eating a wolf.

"See that you don't," I added, reinforcing their father's edict. I liked Forks and I wanted to come back to live here some day. I walked over to Bella and took her hands in mine. They didn't feel as cool as I expected, but I figured the late evening sun shining through the windows had warmed her skin a little. "What do you fancy, sweetheart? The boys can't really bring back a live mountain lion or a grizzly, but I've always been partial to elk. Deer blood is nice enough, but it might not satisfy you since you're a newborn, and a moose is a bit too gamey for my taste, but you might like it." I'd missed the look of distaste on Bella's face until she tried and failed not to gag reflexively. "What's wrong?" I asked her, worriedly.

She gulped. "Um, I don't really like the sound of any of it," she whispered apologetically. "Can't I just have a slice of pizza?" she begged hopefully, looking from me, to Carlisle to Edward.

Our faces creased in disgust – we couldn't help it. All human food smelled and tasted putrid to us, but pizza was one of the worst with its greasy, pungent odors of processed meat and sour smelling cheese. The fact that Bella seemed to crave human food instead of blood was abhorrent … and completely unnatural for a vampire, let alone a newborn.

Edward attempted to dissuade her. "Bella, you can't consume human food as a nutritional source anymore – it won't sustain you. You can eat it, but you'll only end up puking it up later. You need blood to fuel your body, all vampire's do."

She pouted. "Remy doesn't always drink blood," she refuted, "she showed me Rose feeding her a bottle of formula."

"Yes, but Remy is a hybrid," Carlisle explained. "She is half vampire and half … human." He gasped inaudibly and only I noticed. Edward was too focused on Bella and wasn't paying attention to anything else around him. I imagined my husband's computer-like brain processing at top-speed as he come up with a working theory about Bella. "Bella, how is your thirst? Is your throat burning?" he asked her. She frowned in confusion. "Concentrate on what your body is telling you," he prompted her softly.

She closed her eyes, breathing in deeply, and exhaling softly as she relaxed. She repeated the action another two times before she opened her shining golden eyes.

"Tell us," Edward whispered.

"My ankle still hurts," she reminded us. Carlisle nodded in acknowledgement. "My skin is still itchy, but not as much as before." Edward rubbed one of the fading pink patches on her arm. "My throat feels dry and scratchy, like I've got strep or something like it …"

"That's the burn," Jasper explained, interrupting Bella. "She needs to feed!" he added urgently.

Bella shook her head. "No, I don't think so, Jasper. It doesn't feel like a burn. I mean, I know the irritation is there in my throat and it's slightly annoying, but … that's all," she said. "I can't explain it any better than that. If anything, I think I want a glass of water."

Carlisle tapped his pen against Bella's chart, looking thoughtful. "Are you still hungry for human food?" She nodded slowly, almost apologetically and Carlisle patted her hand. "Don't worry about it for the moment, Bella, let's just fix your ankle." He tossed her chart onto the rolling tray of instruments and turned to the boys. "Belay my previous instructions. Go to the kitchen and bring back two bottles – one of water and one of human O negative blood."

I watched the boys leave the room. Alice was sitting in the corner, frantically trying to see the present to find out what was going on. "Those bloody wolves are in the way," she mumbled acidly. "I can't _see_ anything that's happening right now - only what might happen months from now." Her eyes opened wide and she jumped to her feet with determination. "We need to get rid of them," she said, nodding furiously. "Yes, that's it. If they leave, my sight will clear – I know it!"

She rushed toward Jasper as he re-entered the room, a bottle of water clutched in his hand. Emmett gingerly held the bottle of sealed blood. He couldn't smell it through the hermetically sealed packaging, but he knew what it was, and he craved it just the same. His eyes had darkened worryingly.

Carlisle strode forward quickly and relived him of the bottle. He placed it on the rolling instrument table and covered it with a surgical cloth.

"Thanks," Emmett gasped, sagging in relief.

"I'm sorry, son, I wasn't thinking."

Emmett rubbed the back of his neck. "S'okay, Dad, but I need some fresh air," he said.

"I'll go with you," offered Jasper eagerly. He'd also been affected by the presence of the blood.

"Ask the pack to leave, will you Jazz. They're blocking my sight."

"That's a good idea, Alice. Jasper, when you've composed yourself, please ask Sam to take the pack and retreat from our lands. Tell him I'll call him tomorrow and we can meet to discuss what happens now. I give him my word that we will control Bella – that she will not be a problem to the pack or to the town of Forks. I've never lied to him before. Ephraim believed in me, I'm asking Sam to do the same."

Jasper stood tall and proud, happy to be Carlisle's emissary on this important matter. "I won't let you down, Carlisle."

"You never have - just do your best, Jasper, that's all I ask. You can't always reason with someone who is driven by their instincts or fear – you know that better than anyone." Jasper winced. "I was referring to your experience with Maria's newborn army, Jasper, not your own struggles," said Carlisle. "You've made me very proud."

Jasper nodded and strode from the room, following Emmett out of the house and onto the rear porch. I heard them inhaling the scent of the forest … and wolf.

"Let's get this ankle repaired," Carlisle said as he took the limb gently in his hands. Bella nodded, gripping Edward's hand tightly. "This will probably hurt, Bella," he warned, apology evident in his tone.

She gritted her teeth, took a deep breath and told him to just 'do it'. He chose not to delay any longer and yanked her ankle before she had a chance to change her mind, and before Edward had a chance to whine. We all heard the sharp crack, followed by Bella's yelp as the bone realigned. "Amazing," breathed Carlisle as he watched the swelling retreat. He palpated the ankle again. "How does that feel, Bella?"

"Good, Carlisle. It doesn't hurt anymore, but it tingles," she told him.

He nodded his head. "That's probably the venom healing the bone," he speculated. "Can you move your ankle for me?" Bella nodded and moved her ankle up, down and around in response to Carlisle's directions. After a few minutes, he and Edward helped her onto her feet. "How does that feel now that your weight is on your foot?" Bella took a small step forward and then another and another, gaining in confidence as her ankle held and she didn't fall over.

She grinned triumphantly. "It feels great. I actually feel graceful now that I'm not wearing those stupid shoes," she mumbled, making Alice scowl. "Sorry, Alice," Bella said gleefully, "but you'd better fill my closet with flats and chunky, one inch heels or I'm going around barefoot." Alice gasped at the threat and looked quickly into the future. From the look of horror on her face, I felt certain that Bella would keep her promise. I sniggered quietly and wished I had the strength to resist Alice.

"It's fuzzy, but she means it," Alice pouted.

Bella walked gracefully toward Rose and Remy with her arms extended. "Come to Mommy, baby girl," she invited. Remy giggled and leaned towards her mother, almost jumping out of Rose's arms. She cuddled against Bella's chest and I heard their synchronized heartbeats as mother and daughter became one again.

I gasped. _Their_ heartbeats. Oh, my God! "Carlisle!" I screeched.

He spun around, dropping into a defensive crouch at the danger he'd perceived when I yelled. He relaxed when he saw no threat, but he flashed over to me at vampire speed. "What is it, Esme? What's wrong?" His eyes scanned my face and his hands stroked my arms soothingly. God, he was the perfect husband. I sighed as I yearned for his intimate touch, then shook my head to clear it of the errant thoughts - now was _not_ the time.

I inclined my head toward Bella and Remy. "Listen, Carlisle. Listen _very_ carefully, and tell me what you hear," I whispered to him. He frowned in confusion, but did as I asked without question. It took him about three seconds longer than I thought it would, but comprehension dawned on his face and he turned shocked eyes on me.

"Well?" I asked impatiently.

He nodded. "Yes, I hear it, too. How did I miss that?" he wondered aloud.

"Hear, what?" asked Edward as he broke away from Bella and Remy's reunion. Carlisle opened his mind and allowed Edward to listen to his thoughts. He was stunned silent, but he walked slowly back to his wife and daughter. He bent his head unobtrusively and listened intently, before stroking a hand gently over both their heads and returning to the spot where his father and I stood waiting for confirmation.

"How is _any of this_ possible?" he asked in wonder.

"I have a theory or two, Edward, but first, did _anything _unusual happen after the birth?" Carlisle asked.

"Compared to what?" Edward said shrilly. "The entire experience from Remy's conception to Bella's change is completely out of the ordinary." He pinched the bridge of his nose in a classic Edward pose of anxiety. I didn't know whether to hug him or slap him silly. He stiffened and I knew he'd heard my thoughts. _'Get a grip, Edward.' I added._

I looked up as Remy squealed in Bella's arms and reached insistently toward us. "Do you want, your daddy, sweetheart?" cooed Bella. The baby bobbed her whole body affirmatively in that way babies do when they're first learning how to gesture. At this early stage, they haven't quite got the hang of only nodding or shaking their head.

Bella glided across the floor in her bare feet, deftly avoiding the hole in the floor that contained the abandoned Louboutin shoes. Remy squealed louder and stretched with her little arms, opening and closing her starfish hands towards her father and grandfather. As Bella came to a stop in front of them, the little girl reached up and placed her palms against their faces to show them something.

From the tortured expression on Edward's face, I assumed she was replaying the moments following her birth. "Yes." Edward confirmed. Remy pulled her hands back and babbled at the two men. She patted her mother's left breast through the fabric of the dress.

"Edward, do you know what this means?" asked Carlisle urgently.

"Surely, it's not possible, Carlisle?" Edward replied, disbelief evident in his voice. "She barely broke the skin and Bella's heart stopped. I know – I was there. I thought it would never start again."

"What other explanation is there, Edward? You saw what I saw. Remy showed us."

"Would one of you care to explain it to me?" Bella said curtly, a look of annoyance on her face as she tried to follow the cryptic conversation. She reached out absently and snagged the bottle of water from the table. Unscrewing the cap, she lifted the bottle to her perfect lips and drank deeply all the while holding Remy on her hip. I nudged Carlisle with my elbow to draw his attention to Bella's drinking. Edward noticed, as well, and gaped at his wife, his teeth snapping together.

"Well?" said Bella. "I'm waiting."

Edward opened his mouth to speak, stuttered incoherently, and closed it again. Carlisle stepped in to fill the breach. "Bella, we believe that you and Remy are the same species."

"I-I don't understand, I thought Edward's venom changed me?"

"Yes, I believe it did play a part, but not entirely. Bella, after Remy was born, you held her, do you remember?" She nodded. "And do you remember her biting you on your breast?" She stared off into the distance, obviously scanning her fading human memories.

"Yes," she whispered, but I don't understand what that has to do with …" she trailed off as comprehension dawned. "You're not saying what I think you're saying, are you, Carlisle?" she gasped.

"What do you _think_ I'm saying?" he replied.

"That-that Remy's venom started the change and I'm more like her than any of you." The baby squealed happily and clapped her hands.

"That's exactly what I'm saying," agreed Carlisle. "It's what Remy showed us. You and Remy are hybrids. Remy's venom created a vampire that is just like her – part human and part vampire. In your case, your human characteristics survived the change strongly." He pointed to the empty water bottle Bella held in her hand. "Your need for water; your desire to consume human food; your aversion to blood; the color of your eyes. I think I understand the rash a little better now – your body is reacting to the two different types of venom injected into in your system. Even your broken ankle makes more sense to me now. You can still be injured, but you heal a thousand times more quickly than you ever did before."

Bella looked like she was going to faint. "Rose! Bring a chair for Bella," I yelled as I took Remy from her arms. Rose jammed a chair behind Bella's knees and she fell reflexively onto the seat. Edward knelt down beside her, rubbing her hands. I think Bella was in shock. A gamut of thoughts were passing through her mind if her facial expressions were anything to go by.

"What's that sluggish, thumping noise?" Bella asked, after what seemed a lifetime, but was really only a minute. "Is that Remy?"

"No, Bella. That's you – that's _your_ heartbeat," Edward told his wife.

…

AN: So what do you think? I always wondered whether Renesmee's bite might have started the change in Bella. As Renesmee is a hybrid – a new species of vampire, if you will – I wondered whether her venom might have hybridized, as well. Hence, Renesmee's venom would create a vampire hybrid that was more like her than her father, since she is half her mother, after all.


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